New Dawn In The Countryside
by Allison Denise
Summary: A series of stories on how Jeb and Jenny's relationship came to be. Follow them throughout the years as they grow up and find themselves in new experiences and opportunities that will either pull them apart or bring them closer together. Ratings per chapter are subject to change as well as character perspectives.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **All rights are reserved to their rightful owner of the books, and the characters in the television series.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Thank you for choosing to read my fanfiction, I sincerely hope you enjoy reading it! This story will be based solely off of the television series starting right at Season Nine, Episode One, and so on. The main characters will be Jeb Carter (son of John and Sarah Carter) and Jenny Wilder (niece of Almanzo and Laura Wilder) and their close friendship throughout their childhood and into adulthood. Ages, dates, and point of views will change for every chapter, and I may add a few OC's later on in the story. Please feel free to comment - I'd love to know what you think! Enjoy :)

* * *

"You're only twelve years old boy, you don't know what love is."

**Spring, 1887**

He shivered as he stood up on the tallest branch of the tree, the sparkling yet intimidating pond lie underneath him. All the boys and girls he went to school with in Walnut Grove were staring up at him intently. The boys were smirking as the girls tried to hide their giggles. He figured that he probably looked ridiculous; climbing atop the tree just to show his new classmates that he could swim. Little Miss Not-So-Goodie-Two-Shoes Nancy Oleson was convinced that couldn't swim, as were the others who were immediately influenced by her annoying persona. Though he'd been hesitant, he was always the kind of boy who needed to prove himself. And unfortunately, without fail, he would always find a way to get hurt. This time however, he could care less. He was Jebidiah Elliot Carter, and if he had another middle name, it would be 'Brave.'

When he could no longer bare the piercing stares, Jeb took a deep breath and jumped as far as he possibly could.

He couldn't particularly tell where he was, all he could hear was the faint laughter of his classmates as they watched him descend from the tree.

And descend from the tree he did, the ground beneath him slowly caving in as he dropped.

Lower.

And lower.

"STOP!" An angelic voice screamed, instantly shushing the roaring crowd of students. It was a girl, that was all Jeb could surmise before everything went black.

"Jeb?" He could feel hands pressed roughly against his chest. The scenery around him eventually turned colorless and all he could feel was repeated shaking from whoever addressed him.

"Wake up, Jeb!" A nearby voice protested. Suddenly, Jeb's surroundings came into view once more as he shot up out of bed. The morning sun filtered in through the windows of the little house as Jeb turned to face his brother in front of him.

"Jason, what are you doing?" Jeb asked incredulously, feeling hot for being caught in the middle of such a humiliating nightmare.

"Me?" Jason asked in shock, "Better question, what are you doing? You wouldn't stop shaking and moving around. I feel bad for whoever is going to marry you, they'd be kicked out of bed in no time."

Jeb was about to push his brother off his bed when his Pa climbed up the latter to their bedroom and peaked in. "No arguing, boys. Your Ma is making breakfast. I'm going to be heading to the shop earlier today so I'll give you a ride in my rig to school."

"Thanks Pa!" The boys exclaimed in unison.

Jeb smiled to himself, knowing that he'd be spending less time with Jason than if they walked.

"Hold on. Jeb? Are you alright?" Pa asked, eyeing him worriedly. He nodded quickly as he wiped the cold sweat off his forehead.

"Jeb was - "

Jeb flashed Jason a murderous look before he could complete his sentence. Ever the smart boy Jason was, he kept silent.

...

The sun shone brightly as the horses marched into the town of Walnut Grove, rigs in tow. As much as Jeb thought about and missed his previous home in Long Island, Jeb was beginning to enjoy Minnesota as much as his Ma was. Sarah Carter, having grown up in New York City, wasn't accustomed to prairie living but immediately accepted the peaceful atmosphere as her home. John and Sarah Carter had enrolled Jeb and Jason in school as soon as they settled. Luckily for them, the new term was starting and the boys could not be more anxious. As the school at the very end of town rolled into view, Jeb instantly thought of his dream. Of course, it was only his second day at school and everyone had been nice for the most part, so what did he have to worry about?

"Here we are," John Carter pulled up in front of the blacksmith's shop, interrupting Jeb's thoughts, "I'm going to let you boys off here, have a good day."

"You too, Pa!" Jason said enthusiastically, "Hey look! There's Thomas!"

Jeb immediately recognized Thomas Ryland, Jason's new best friend. He watched as his brother took off in a sprint towards the red-head boy, who was waving and gripping onto a baseball bat.

Smirking, John pulled Jeb aside, "Jeb, do you remember meeting Charles Ingalls' daughter Laura?"

Jeb nodded, though not sure where his father was going with this, he listened intently.

"Well, her brother-in-law and niece are staying with her and her husband for quite some time, they might even move here if they get used to it..." John took a minute to survey the scenery around him. Jeb looked on with him.

"Anyways," John sighed, a smile forming at his lips, "Laura's niece is starting school today. I believe she's only ten years old. I can see how far you and Jason have come from not knowing anyone to making friends in such a short amount of time. I think it would be nice if you talked to her and made her feel welcome."

"But she's a girl!" Jeb protested, "I mean, what if she's boring?"

John chuckled, "Well son, I guess I can't make you. But I told your Ma that I would try my best."

Jeb nodded as the realization dawned on him. His Ma set him up. Amid the rustling rigs, Jeb could hear Ms. Plum, the teacher, pull down on the bell.

"See ya, Pa!" Jeb scurried away before John could say anything more.

The boys who were playing baseball gathered up their equipment and waved to him. Amoung them with Willie Oleson, who wasn't nearly as self-centered as his sister. "Hey Carter!" Willie slapped him on the back, "Jason really wanted to pitch, but honestly, he stinks."

Jeb flashed him a grin before slapping him back, "Don't worry. I know."

Although Willie was almost five years older than Jeb, the two got along splendidly, finding that they had alot in common; especially when it came to baseball.

Jeb was halfway up the stairs to greet Ms. Plum when he was abruptly stopped by a fair skinned girl with blond locks.

"Hi Jeb," Nancy Oleson blushed profusely, twirling her blue hair ribbon around her finger.

"Uh, hi?" His answer coming off more as a question. However, Nancy didn't seem to notice as she continued to ascend the wooden stairs to the classroom with him. "Beautiful day, isn't it?" she giggled.

"Yeah, it is," Jeb said nonchalantly, wondering what he was getting himself into. Nancy perked up, her next question catching him completely off guard, "Hey you're from New York City, right?"

"Kind of," the two made their way inside, "I mean, my Ma grew up in the city. That's where she met my Pa."

"Golly," Nancy sighed dreamily, "You must be rich!"

Jeb forced himself not to smirk at her outrageous statement. It was true, that the Carters had plenty of opportunities to live extravagantly, due to his grandfather's supposed fame in the newspaper business. But there really was alot Nancy didn't know about him, and he preferred to keep it that way.

Before she could ask if he wanted to sit with her, Jeb swiftly took a seat next to his brother. He pulled out his reader and sighed in relief as Nancy haughtily took a seat behind him.

At the corner of his eye, he observed a young brunette woman clasping the hand of an even younger girl as they followed closely behind Ms. Plum. Turning around completely, he soon identified her as Laura Wilder. The other girl, had her back turned to him, and looked slightly shaky. She was wearing a long, calico printed red dress with black boots. Her long dark brown hair, was neatly plaited on both sides of her head and cascaded down her shoulders. When the three finally reached the very front of the classroom, the unknown girl revealed her face. All breath that Jeb had only seconds ago left his body as he gazed up at the scared girl. The whole class had gone quiet as well as they took their seats and eyed the girl curiously.

She was pretty; there was no doubt about that. Her bright blue eyes were what Jeb thought of as striking as she looked at her classmates in turn. Her hair might have been a simple, dark brown to the common eye, but Jeb thought otherwise. It had shine to it, not a fake shine like Nancy's, but more natural and beautiful...

He noticed the girl visibly gulp and look down while her hands stayed firmly by her side. This had to be Mrs. Wilder's niece, Jeb thought.

"Class," Ms. Plum announced, "I'd like you to meet a new student, Jenny Wilder."

"Hello Jenny," the class said in unison, all except for Nancy, who seemed to be in deep thought as well. As Jeb regained himself, he grinned at the new girl as she walked directly to the seat that Ms. Plum pointed out, right across from Jeb.

Laura murmured a word of thanks to Ms. Plum before touching Jenny's shoulder reassuringly and walking out. Though Jeb should have been embarrassed to be caught in such a daze over a girl he never even talked to, he could help but stare at her. Everyone was pulling out their readers and focusing on Ms. Plum, except for him. Hesitantly, she met his gaze and kept it for what seemed like a lifetime to Jeb. He marveled over the gentle grin she gave him as they continued to gaze in each other's direction.

During the blissful seconds that they held eye contact, they didn't notice the sly grin coming from Jason, the envious and angry heat protruding from Nancy's face, or Ms. Plum's voice.

"Jeb? Jeb Carter!"

The sparks died slowly as Jeb snapped his head towards his teacher. "Huh?"

"'Yes Ms. Plum,' not 'huh.'" She sighed, though her eyes were twinkling.

Jeb should have been beat red for being caught in the act of staring at a girl, but for once, he let it go. Jenny seemed to not be bothered one bit as she continued to glance his way, grinning even bigger.

"Oh, yes Mrs. Plum. What?"

Ms. Plum sighed again, "Your reader. Page 5."

"Yes ma'am," feeling more confident than ever, he stood up and began to read. If he had looked more closely, he would have been able to see the unmistakable blush that formed on Jenny's cheeks for the first time that day.

...

It was half past two when the students filtered out of the classroom. Some went home to help their families with their daily chores, while others made a quick run to the pond, which was an inevitably popular place this time of year. Jeb had previously promised his Pa that he would catch him his dinner, though he knew it was silly to turn up at the pond with a fishing pole but not go swimming as well.

Sighing, Jeb walked down the steps, Jason in tow. He looked at Mrs. Wilder's niece, who had made her way to the side of the steps. She looked on at the crowd of students rushing to the pond excitedly. It took Jeb a moment to realize that she was waiting for him.

"You go on," Jeb motioned to Jason timidly.

"Are you sure?" His little brother tried to mask his disappointment.

"Yeah, I'm sure." He concluded.

"Okay, see ya," Jason scampered off, leaving only Jeb and the mysterious girl standing a mere few feet away from him.

Without hesitation, Jeb walked over to the girl. Their eyes never left each other's face, and were both breathless at the idea that this time, no one would be there to interrupt their private moment together.

Finally, she broke the silence, "Are you going swimming?"

Jeb felt an odd sort of pounding in his chest at the sound of her voice. It was unlike anything he ever felt before. Her voice was unique, calming, even angelic. It almost reminded him of his Ma, whom he loved dearly. But she was different, he felt a different kind of longing and admiration...

"N-No, I have to go take care of my pigeons," Jeb told her softly. He mentally scolded himself for making up such an excuse.

Her eyes lit up immediately, "Pigeons?!" She stepped a bit closer.

Jeb chuckled, "Yeah, all my pigeons, I've got tons of them."

"I'd like to see them sometime!" She answered. To say that her smile seemed to make the day brighter would be an understatement.

"Sure anytime!" Jeb replied just as enthusiastically, a little too quickly. He bit his lip as his eyes shifted away from hers, already feeling like a fool. If it weren't for the hat shading his face, he wouldn't be surprised if the girl noticed the reddening of his cheeks.

She was just about to speak before a loud voice cut across the school yard, "Hey Jenny, are you coming?" Willie Oleson hollered, thinking nothing of how close the two were standing to each other.

Giving him a quick nod, she turned back to Jeb, "Are you sure you don't want to come?" Her voice was gentle, almost hopeful. It took all of Jeb's willpower to turn her down again before watching her leave.

He felt awful. Sooner or later, he would need to learn how to swim. For a brief moment, he considered his brother's advice to ask Pa about getting swimming lessons, but that would be too humiliating. Jeb kicked a rock as he pondered that very idea. Sure, it would benefit him. If he could take care of his own animals, drive a rig, and catch fish for his Pa, then how hard could swimming be?

Jeb looked ahead of him and noticed that Jenny had stopped running. She turned around and waved to him, that sweet smile plastered on her face once more. Wordlessly, Jeb waved back, that same longing emotion filling his senses.

"I know that look," a hoarse voice chuckled. Jeb whipped around and saw a raggedy-looking man standing to the left of him. He seemed to have popped out of nowhere as he continued to eye Jeb with a smug smile.

"Isaiah Edwards, good friend of almost all town folk," the man greeted, he held out his hand for Jeb to shake. He'd been told a countless of times to not acknowledge strangers, but something about the charisma of this man made Jeb feel assured.

"Jeb Carter," he took the man's hand, already feeling like a grown up.

"Carter...Carter...OH! You're John's son?! Yes, I've met your folks before," the man's eyes twinkled as he made the connection.

Jeb was utterly surprised, "R-Really?"

"Indeed! So, I see you're making friends rather quickly," Mr. Edwards gestured towards the pathway where Jenny was present only seconds ago.

"Yeah, I suppose," Jeb agreed.

"I fell in love when I was twelve," Mr. Edwards reminisced. Jeb shifted awkwardly, not expecting the sudden change of topic.

"Of course it wasn't 'real love,' but I had that same expression that you just showed on your face about a minute ago! It reminded me of myself when I was a strapping lad, Good times they were, good times."

Jeb blinked at the man confusedly, still oblivious to the meaning behind his story. Love? At twelve years old?

A loud cackle burst from the man who was now walking ahead of him, "They told me: 'You're only twelve years old boy, you don't know what love is.' Well boy to them, I sure proved them wrong!"

Strangely enough, Jeb found himself proud of Mr. Edwards, a man he only met moments ago. Although he would consider himself a general rebel, he found that proving oneself to others was alot more easier said than done. Mr. Edwards had beat the words of the adults, and nothing made Jeb respect him more. He smiled to himself as he thought of the girl with the long, gleaming hair and sparkling eyes. He would get to know her, and maybe, just maybe, she would want to know him too.

And just like that, school was his new favorite place.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading, reviews are more than appreciated :D **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Thank you for the encouraging feedback last chapter; I hope you continue to read and enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **All rights are reserved to their rightful owner of the books, and the characters in the television series.

* * *

"I thought my life, my happiness, was gone forever. I was wrong. There's so much to live for."

**Spring, 1887**

With a look of determination, Jenny Wilder ran as fast as she could to school. It took all of her power to get out of bed this morning and face the day after the bittersweet talk she had with her Aunt Laura.

Never before had Jenny felt so ashamed of herself when she realized what she'd done and the people she hurt. Only yesterday, was Jenny in a daze as she left the Wilder homestead. She was not in her right place, nothing could break the cold, steely barrier that formed around her.

The event that caused her sadness happened so quickly, so unexpectedly. Aunt Laura had packed her and her father a picnic basket so they could spend quality time together. They settled in the grass by the pond, happily enjoying each other's company as they took in the scenery of the countryside. Suddenly, rain began to fall unexpectedly, inevitably being the death of her father and best friend, Royal. Jenny had blamed herself for killing him, for making him run to avoid getting soaked. With his heart condition, Jenny realized, there was nothing she could do to cure him. No prayer, no pleading or crying would be able to change anything.

Several weeks later, she remembered vividly that Aunt Laura and Uncle Manzo wanted her to tag along on their venture to town that afternoon and insisted that she'd come. Jenny had purposely refused, knowing that she'd been waiting for the opportune moment to escape without being noticed. After weeks of endless crying, she knew it was her turn to join God next to her parents.

How naive she was, to think it wouldn't affect anyone. But oh, how it did.

As soon as Jenny heard the rig roll away, she quickly wrote a note to her new guardians before hastily exiting the house. Desperation and sorrow permeated her body as she ran to the very place where the worst day of her life occurred.

She stood by the pond, in a complete daze. Absolutely nothing would be able to stop her now, not even the voice she vaguely heard as she began to wade into the water.

The next thing she remembered was waking up in her bed, feeling weak and tired. She had looked around to see if her parents were there, but instead, she came face to face with her aunt and uncle. Anger and confusion overtook her mind as she told them of her intention to kill herself.

Though Jenny's head had been turned, she could feel her aunt's hard glare on her back. This time, though Jenny knew she deserved it, Laura lashed out on her, telling her it was wrong to throw her life away and that she was defying God's good intention of giving her life. Laura's next point, however, stalled Jenny's breathing.

"You nearly caused an innocent boy to lose his life. That's right! Jeb Carter almost drowned trying to save you, his father said he couldn't swim a lick, but he somehow got you out!"

Jenny was more ashamed than ever. It was horrible - no, cruel of her to attempt to end her life when she knew for a fact that so many people cared for her.

But Jeb!

It all made sense, she realized. There was a reason why Jeb never wanted to go swimming, why he always got so annoyed whenever Nancy taunted him to dip his feet in, why he fell from the tree and broke him arm! He was purposely trying to avoid the humiliation of not knowing how to swim just like Jenny avoided the truth about herself. She acted selfishly, and she knew it. It was no longer deniable.

Oh, how she treated him. In the month she'd known Jeb, she practically pushed him away whenever he offered to spend time with her or invite her to play baseball. Her heart ached as she remembered all those times when she would turn him down and dismiss the disappointment set in his eyes.

His eyes. He made her feel wanted, loved even - he was such a good friend. He was there when she needed him the most. And what did she do? She pushed him away, like he was nothing other than a log floating down a river.

He saved her, despite not knowing how to swim. What must he think of her now? Would he still want to be her friend?

All thoughts of Jeb left her mind as Jenny watched Laura leave the room, her uncle softly closing the door behind her. Her aunt's words endlessly echoed in her mind...

"God put you on this earth for a reason..."

"Your parents love you more than anything else in the world..."

"They wanted you to have everything..."

"...your own family..."

"...your own children..."

"...their grandchildren..."

Laura's words sunk in deep inside her. Jenny couldn't bear it any longer; all the pent up pain, guilt, and shame bursted from her very soul as she reached her final conclusion. She could make her parents proud, no - she would make them proud.

Her heart beat rapidly as Jenny determinedly made her way to her aunt and uncle's bedroom. Tears fell down her cheeks one last time that night as she flung herself in her aunt's warm embrace. As Jenny cried into her shoulder, Laura held her firmly, softly whispering words of love into her ear as she stroked her niece's hair.

Jenny left the homestead with a whole new perspective the next morning. Never before had she felt such a strong drive and ambition to go to school and be the best person she could be. She was going to make her parent's proud, and planned on nothing other than succeeding.

The feel of the warm spring air felt oddly calming as Jenny made her way across the small bridge into Walnut Grove. She smiled at Mrs. Foster, the lady who worked at the post office, and Nels Oleson as he swept by the Mercantile.

Ms. Plum was standing in the front of the classroom, instructing her students as Jenny breathlessly sauntered in.

"Jenny!" Ms. Plum stopped her lesson mid-sentence as she gazed incredulously at the girl. All eyes turned to stare at her, some in utter awe, some in excitement, and Nancy, of course, in distaste.

From the corner of her eye, Jenny could see Jeb break out into the biggest smile she'd ever seen.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Jenny said.

Ms. Plum all but smiled, "That's alright. This time."

Jenny hurriedly took her seat across from Jeb as she opened her reader. The two shared a glance before turning to their teacher, focusing solely on her before class was dismissed.

.

"Jeb can't swim, Jeb can't swim, Jeb can't swim, Jeb can't - "

"Nancy," Jeb smirked.

"Hmm?" Nancy swayed her shoulders nonchalantly.

"Go jump in the lake!"

The students roared with laughter as Nancy turned a deep shade of red. Though Jenny wanted to tell Nancy off and say that he did indeed know how to swim, she held it in, deciding that she didn't know if she was ready to tell the other kids, let alone Nancy, how she'd tried to drown herself. Before Jenny could spank the ugliness off Nancy's face, she was already running away, proving to be too much of a coward to retaliate.

By then, more than half of the students were getting antsy and made a run towards the pond. This left Jenny, Jeb, and a few other stragglers alone. Suddenly feeling nervous, Jenny peered at Jeb through her long lashes. Sure, he might have smiled at her arrival in class. But what if he only did that to act like everyone else? What if he was saving all of his pent up anger for this moment to lash out at her for being so selfish?

"Hey," he chuckled softly. He looked relaxed, even happy as he observed her unsteady figure.

Jenny looked up at him in alarm, finally taking notice of how close he was to her. To her, it felt just like her first day of school when they had their first conversation. She visibly gulped, surely it couldn't go as decently as last time.

Jenny took a deep breath and bravely spoke up, "I want to thank you for what you did."

Jeb blinked before giving her a shy smile, "It was nothing."

She exhaled, "No, believe me, it was everything."

A quick sense and aura of understanding floated between them as they shared another grin. In the distance, they could hear loud laughter as the straggling students hurried to catch up with the other group to the pond.

"The other kids," Jeb stated, breaking the trance, "They don't know."

"Thank you for that too," Jenny said, feeling more than relieved at this new revelation.

Jeb nodded at her kindly. Right when she thought he was going to leave and never speak to her again, he suddenly looked at her with a wicked kind of excitement. "Say, do you want to go swimming?"

She looked at him like he'd gone insane, "Do you?!"

"Yeah, I do!" His reply never faltering.

The weight of everything that happened suddenly seemed to descend into the past. She realized, that this was Jeb's way of closure. He wanted to prove to her again that he could swim and have fun with her, despite everyone else thinking that he couldn't. Jeb Carter was an inspiration, a true hero of Walnut Grove. She would not refuse his offer to spend time with her, not after he put his own life at risk to save hers.

"Let's go then!" Jenny didn't waste another moment as she swiftly grabbed his hand and led him towards the direction of the pond. She felt satisfied as she noted the surprised, mischievous smirk plastered on his face as he trailed closely behind her.

At their rather excited, fast-paced trek, the two made it to the pond in no time. Their classmates were laughing and screeching, already fully soaked and waste-deep in the water, completely excluding Nancy. However, she didn't seem to mind as she waded in the shallow end, admiring her supposedly expensive swimming clothes. Nancy immediately turned her attention to Jenny and Jeb's arrival and smiled patronizingly. Jenny tried to ignore her as she changed, not wishing to give some spoiled brat the satisfaction.

Luckily, her and Jeb would be out of Nancy's range once they just crossed over the shallow end and -

"Well look who's here!" Nancy's smirk grew even wider as her eyes moved up and down Jeb's figure. Jenny raised an eyebrow at the girl. What was Nancy doing? Flirting or just being a downright bully? It became clear to Jenny when she noticed a soft gleam of envy that became evident on Nancy's expression as she eyed the two.

Despite her sudden change in demeanor, Nancy prattled on, "You going fishing Jeb?" She let out a giggle, turning to the others, "I bet he won't jump in!"

The children stopped rustling in the water as they turned their attention to Nancy's high-pitched voice. Jenny felt an odd sense of pride as she remembered how badly Jeb humiliated Nancy after class in front of the whole school. Was this her way of getting back at him? By taunting him? By being a total brat?

Right before she was about to retaliate in Jeb's defense, Jenny thought of her parents; their kind words, soft voices, and their strong religious morals. They wouldn't have wanted her to lash out on a girl for such a petty reason, would they? As Jenny debated what to do about her sudden anger, Jeb had already begun to wade in the shallow end with Nancy, he was smiling at her mischievously.

A hot wave of jealously filtered her body as the anger left. Jenny felt like she was getting sick as she experienced these new found emotions. She was only ten years old, after all. And Jeb was just a boy, just a friend.

The whirlwind inside Jenny died down a bit when Jeb placed both of his hands on Nancy's swim bonnet and pushed her under water.

The observing children roared with laughter as Nancy frantically regained her footing before furiously making her way out of the water. Jeb flashed a bright smile at Jenny in triumph as she joined in the laughter. She immediately took Nancy's place by jumping in the water and giving him a high five.

"Jeb! That was great!" Jason said, swimming over to them.

"Yep!" Willie slapped Jeb on the back, "Though I reckon she'll be in a prissy mood for the rest of the week."

"Hey, I know!" Jason suddenly perked up, "Let's play shoulder wars!"

"Yeah!" The children shouted in unison. Before Jenny could pick a partner, she felt a strong pair of arms grasp her waist. "Jeb!" She giggled, feeling him smile against her hair, "What's on your mind?"

Together, they watched several of their classmates pair up. "We're going to bring them down," Jeb whispered in her ear.

And they did just that.

.

It was late in the afternoon when the children dried off and began making their way home. Their continuous games of shoulder wars would certainly be the talk of the school the next day, and Jeb and Jenny could happily say that they won more than a few rounds.

Everyone had left except for Willie, Jason, Jenny, and Jeb.

Jenny decided that she really liked Willie. He told them stories of how he and Laura pretended to be in a relationship once, the way that he and his sister, Nellie, had treated Laura and her sisters, and how karma hit him hard when she became a school teacher with the right to place him in the corner. Jenny never would have thought that kind, considerate Willie Oleson could be capable of being mean.

"It was all good fun in the end," Willie concluded, with a smile. "But I best be getting home, Pa probably needs help in the restaurant."

"Same here," Jason followed Willie out of the pond, "I still have chores to do. You coming Jeb?"

"Not yet," Jeb said as he smiled at Jenny, "I'll catch you later."

"Just don't be late for dinner!" Jason said sternly, quickly taking off in tow of Willie.

"Your brother is really adorable," Jenny chuckled, watching him disappear over the grassy hill.

"I guess," Jeb shrugged, "Annoying is more like it." Jeb reached out to take Jenny's hand and led her out of the water. Slowly, she unplaited her braids and shook her long hair to let it dry.

Feeling Jeb's gaze on her, Jenny hesitantly looked up at him through her lashes, "I think he just really cares for you," she continued.

He shrugged again, beaming as he looked at her. "I suppose I know how he feels then."

"What do you mean?" Jenny ran a shaky hand through her damp hair.

"Well.. I missed you Jenny, we all did. I haven't had as much fun here since you first walked in class," Jeb bit his lip as a light blush formed on his cheeks.

He really was adorable when he did that, she thought. Maybe it was a Carter thing.

"I'm just happy that you're feeling better and I hope - "

Without thinking, Jenny stepped forward and embraced him for the first time. The action took Jeb by surprise, nearly causing him to topple over onto the ground. At first, Jenny was worried that he wouldn't return her unexpected hug, but all negative thoughts left her mind as she felt Jeb's arms encircle her back. It was an innocent gesture, really. Just two friends who were long overdue for spending time with each other.

Jenny smiled as she rested her forehead on his shoulder. Was it the warmth of the sun making her hot? Jenny pulled away, suddenly feeling self-conscious. She was barely dressed, hugging a boy who was two years older than her and shirtless!

She was deep in thought when Jeb spoke, "What was that for?" His eyes shone with mild curiosity.

Her breath stalled, unsure of what to say. Instead, she grabbed her dress and ran as fast as she could.

"JENNY, WAIT!" She heard Jeb shout from behind her. Jenny smirked in triumph, her intention of having Jeb chase her coming true. She was already halfway up the grassy hill that overlooked the prairie when she sensed him coming closer. She didn't know what gave her the impulse to run, but she was a spontaneous little girl. And that's what people liked about her.

Jeb was a far faster runner; Jenny should have known. It was said that he was one of the best baseball players in the school, always making it to home run in time. She squealed as he caught her hand and turned her around to face him. Unfortunately, Jenny's knees gave out and together, they rolled down the grassy hill like a tumble weed.

Although the seconds of friction and bumping against each other should have hurt, Jenny found herself laughing the whole way down and was slightly sad when it was all over. Jeb's blush was more evident than before as he lie next to her, trying to catch his breath. The delight and silliness of the situation was so overwhelming, they hardly realized the position they were both in.

Once Jeb regained his bearings, he removed himself from Jenny's side and wordlessly put his shirt on. "I'm sorry Jenny, that was stupid of me..."

"No," Jenny giggled, she stood up next to him, "That was my fault."

Jeb shook his head, "No, I meant what I said after you hugged me, that-that came out wrong. It was really nice of you, and I should be heading home," he trembled nervously.

"Wait, Jeb!" Jenny pleaded, not quite liking the state his was in. Goodness, she didn't quite know what to think of hers! A cool breeze swept across the prairie, causing Jenny to shiver slightly.

"Are you alright?" Jeb draped a hand on her forearm.

"I'm just a little cold," she said honestly, shrugging.

"Maybe we should head home, I'll walk you halfway," Jeb said, not taking no for an answer.

"Could I ask you something, Jeb?"

"Anything," Jeb replied with ease as the two of them made their way through the grassy woodlands. "What made you decide to save me? How did you know where I would be?"

Jeb looked at her, like it was the most obvious answer in the world, "Because that's what friends do. When I dropped one of my pigeons off at your house, I forgot to give you the cylinder in case you wanted to send me a note. Jason and I were headed back into town when I realized that I had it in my pocket, so I ran back to your place and saw you were gone. I read your note and..." His voice trailed off, like it almost pained him to say more.

"And you knew I'd be at the pond?" Jenny pressed.

"Yeah," Jeb answered, their pace getting progressively slower, "It's where I always knew where to find you. I hated seeing you so lonely. When I found out that you wanted to, you know, I couldn't describe what I felt. You're too good of a person Jenny, please promise me you won't do something like that ever again!"

The two had stopped walking. Jenny gazed into his deep, sepia colored eyes. They were more intense than she'd ever seen them, "Promise me," Jeb repeated.

"I promise," Jenny murmured softly. She grasped his right hand tightly, letting him know she was serious.

Jeb nodded curtly, not letting her hand escape his, "You have alot to live for, Jenny. If no one else can make you see that then I will."

"Thank you, Jeb," She cast her gaze towards the sunset. He chuckled, "For what?"

"For everything. And you're right," She sighed, "I thought my life, my happiness, was gone forever. I was wrong. There's so much to live for."

Jeb smiled at her for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, "You're my best friend."

Their friendship was indeed no where close to perfect, but the way Jeb was looking at her, told her otherwise. They had so many years ahead of them, who was to say what would happen? All Jenny knew was that she was finally at peace; with herself, her family, God... All was well.

"And you're mine."

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you for reading! Comments are highly appreciated! Although college is getting a tad busy, I'm going to try and update every weekend! Once again, thank you so much to those who've given me gracious words of support. Enjoy your weekend, fellow readers! x


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **All rights are reserved to Mrs. Laura Wilder &amp; the writers for the television series.

* * *

"Suddenly, he was reminded of the young girl he dreamed about. The girl who looked at him with such admiration, protection, and curiosity."

**May, 1887**

It was a bright and clear morning as the Carters made their way up the steps into the school house which held Sunday service. After a long, hard final week at school on top of chores, Jeb finally had the opportunity to sit and relax with his family while listening to Reverend Alden's enlightening sermons.

Jeb sat in the third row next to Jason and closed his eyes. Just as he was about to drift, he heard an all too familiar voice behind him.

"Such a beautiful morning, isn't it?" Nancy Oleson gushed, a bemused smirk on her face.

"Uh yeah, I suppose," Jeb replied, cocking his eyebrow. Unfortunately, he had no way out of the conversation. His parents were in a deep discussion with the Wilders, most likely about the town's new ridiculous name, and Jason appeared to be making googly eyes at a poor younger girl in his grade. Little brothers, Jeb scoffed at the thought.

"Eh-hem." Nancy eyed him impatiently. "Did you hear the news or not?"

"The news of what?" Jeb furrowed his brow.

"I'M THE FIRST EVER SOLOIST IN THE OLESONVILLE CHURCH!" Nancy practically screamed, causing many people to turn around and look at her in question and alarm. From the corner of his eye, he could see Jenny peer curiously around her Aunt.

It took everything for Jeb not to stand up to Nancy and reprimand her. According to Reverend Alden, 'Walnut Grove' was the final and official name of the peaceful town in Minnesota. Harriet Oleson, Nancy's rather flamboyant mother, got hold of a certain bond to Walnut Grove which supposedly allowed her to have the right to run the town. Or as his Ma put it, ruining people's lives.

Yes, the town he'd grown to love and admire in a short amount of time was called, "Olesonville." It was perfect.

Not.

Nancy twirled one of her curls around her finger, oblivious to the horrified stares directed at her, "Anyways, I've been practicing my singing a ton. More than I ever have in my life," she sighed, "'Amazing Grace' is the first song, and I heard you tell Jenny that it was your favorite song at church."

"You did?" Jeb mumbled, not quite liking where this was going.

"Well yeah, I sit behind you in class. And you talk to her all the time, I'm not deaf!"

Jeb sighed. Any hope of contentment and relaxation was gone, "I wasn't saying that you were, I just - "

"Oh never mind! Mother was right, boys are so silly and clueless! I know you and the other kids don't like how my mother plans to run the town and all, but trust me, with my amazing talent and generosity, folks will be glad that this town is named after me!" Nancy gushed, her eyes twinkling.

"Why are you telling me this?" Jeb wondered aloud.

Nancy stole a quick glance over at Jenny, who was laughing with her friend, Elizabeth Stark. Nancy eyed them curiously as Elizabeth whispered something into Jenny's ear, which made her turn around to face them. Jenny smiled genuinely as she waved at Jeb, a gesture he returned almost immediately. The two girls hugged before parting ways to sit with their families as Reverend Alden made his way to the front of the room.

"Like I said," Nancy tore her gaze from Jenny, "Clueless!"

Jeb blinked in confusion as Nancy flipped her curls, they barely brushed his chin, "Are you going to wish me luck?" She added with a sly smile.

"Good luck!" Jeb responded somewhat enthusiastically, mostly to make her go away. Nancy stole one last glance at Jenny before briskly sauntering over to her seat.

"Good morning!" Reverend Alden greeted. The room was completely silent as everyone took their seats. "Before we begin the music," he nodded at Mrs. Foster, who was sitting daintily in front of the piano, "I would like us all to pray. Heavenly father..."

Jeb closed his eyes and lowered his head. He smiled when he felt his Ma's hand cover his own, and he immediately thought about how blessed he was to have such wonderful people in his life. Sure, there were some that weren't quite as accommodating, but others, he'd grown so close to over the few months he'd settled here. He discretely peered over at Jenny, who sat in a similar position like himself. Laura's hand rested atop hers while Jenny bore a gentle grin. He caught a glimpse of her dimples that appeared on her rose colored cheeks.

She has dimples, Jeb thought. Why hadn't he noticed them before?!

Suddenly, he felt a swift tap on his shoulder from Jason, who noticed his distraction. Jeb immediately closed his eyes once more, waiting patiently for Reverend Alden to close the beginning prayer.

"And now," Reverend Alden sighed, a look of hesitation was evident on his features as he gazed at Harriet Oleson. Her pink feathered hat and large fuchsia calico gown scarcely reminded Jeb of an enormous flamingo.

Reverend Alden went on, "I'd like to present Miss Nancy Oleson to come up and sing..." "Amazing Grace," Mrs. Foster mouthed. Reverend Alden's face paled significantly at the new revelation, "Amazing Grace," he repeated, stepping down from the podium.

Jeb felt himself gulp as he watched Nancy mount the steps and stand prettily in Reverend Alden's place. He glanced over at Jenny, who seemed to be doing her best not to smirk, but was failing miserably. Of course, Jeb had never heard Nancy sing before, but he had a bad feeling...

"Eh-hem!" Nancy cleared her throat, in effort to get everyone's attention.

She glanced at Jenny for a moment, before turning her gaze to Jeb. He felt his cheeks redden.

"I would like to dedicate this song to my mother and all the candy she lets me eat as well as the fabulous presents I receive from her every month. And of course, I do realize that there are many children who are not as fortunate as me," Nancy said, shooting another glance at Jenny. "I've been practicing this song for weeks, please do feel free to throw flowers!"

Jeb fought the urge to scoff at Nancy's ridiculous speech, but he knew his parents would scold him for being rude. It's not like Nancy was particularly nice either. What was her problem? Why was she targeting Jenny so much?

He avoided Nancy's gaze as she began singing. It was out of tune of course, and she seemed to drown out the lovely music from the piano as she practically screamed the melody.

Jeb was outraged. How on earth did Nancy get the benefit of doing this? He didn't know what he expected, but it was certainly nothing this bad. From the corner of his eye, he could see some people get up to step outside until it was over. Even Laura had taken her baby Rose outside to calm her whimpering.

Land sakes, Jason could probably sing better!

At long last, it was finally over. Folks clapped, but Jeb figured it was more out of relief. Harriet Oleson gushed wildly as her husband looked quite perturbed. Jeb couldn't imagine why.

"Thank you, Nancy." Reverend Alden said, without much emotion.

Jeb hadn't realized that he'd been slouching in his seat as Nancy walked by him and smiled. He half heartedly returned the gesture before sitting up and acknowledging Reverend Alden as he began to preach.

He listened intently as Reverend Alden talked about accepting people for who they are, and Jeb realized that it wasn't right for him to judge Nancy as an annoying, selfish girl. Even if she was, Jeb was raised with good morals and he was determined to let them show.

As if pushing her head under water wasn't enough! Jeb chuckled darkly at the memory.

He glanced across the room at Jenny, who was seated with her hands folded neatly on her lap. She seemed to be completely engaged in Reverend Alden's words. Jeb watched as Jenny slowly reached out and clutched Laura's hand, looking up at her lovingly. Jeb's heart burst with happiness whenever he saw Jenny share a close moment or compassionate gesture with Laura or Almanzo, knowing how much she'd grown and changed over the past few months since her father's unexpected death. She was strong and relentless with a courageous spirit, something in which he admired in a person more than anything else.

A few moments passed before Jenny merely glanced in Jeb's direction, nearly leaving him breathless as she cast a quick wink in his direction. Reverend Alden's sermon suddenly drowned out in his mind, as well as Nancy's bristling scowl from a few seats away.

* * *

At long last, the election for mayor in Walnut Grove was finally over! The Carters as well as many other families could not be more content with their new mayor: Mr. Len McCarrey! He'd practically grown up in this small town of Minnesota, no one knew the place better than he did.

The crowd's cheering was still ringing in Jeb's ears as he recalled Doctor Baker announcing the number of votes just moments ago. From the corner of his eye, he could see Mr. Edwards and two other men tear the wooden "Olesonville" sign off from the post. Walnut Grove was back!

"Don't forget the party at Lars's house! Everybody is invited, compliments to the Olesons!" Mayor McCarrey shouted.

The townsfolk cheered once more as Harriet Oleson scoffed and made her way inside the Mercantile, the door slamming in her wake. Nancy followed her quickly as Willie gave his father a friendly pat on the back.

"Jeb!" A chipper voice called.

He looked over he shoulder and saw Jenny walking briskly towards him. Without thinking, he embraced her enthusiastically, enjoying her soft laughter in his chest as he rested his chin on the top of her head, holding her close. "This is the best day ever," Jenny murmured, peering up at him.

"And it's going to get better," he smiled, "Do you want to walk?"

Jenny thought for a moment before nodding. "I'll let Aunt Laura and Uncle Manzo know that we'll meet them there," she sauntered off, grinning.

After shortly arriving at the the old Hanson's house, almost a dozen couples were lined up, ready to dance as the fiddles began to play harmoniously. From a distance, Jeb spotted his little brother chasing after some helpless girl while most of his classmates happily munched on cob corn. It truly was beginning to feel like summer.

"There's so many people dancing," Jenny said wondrously, eyeing the couples almost longingly. The pair chuckled as they watched Doctor Baker swing Ms. Plum around until she looked almost faint with dizziness.

"The McCarrey and Oleson election was probably one of the best things I've seen in Walnut Grove," Jeb teased. His face flushed as Jenny shifted her gaze from thedancing couples to him.

"Why do you say that?"

"Well," he began, "I haven't felt this excited about anything since I moved here, what with the election and all. There was a plenty amount of talk about politics in New York. But here, it just seems that no matter who wins or loses, everyone is still a family." By the time he finished, Jenny was smiling at him much like she did on her first day of class.

"Jeb, I - "

"Jenny!" Laura Wilder was hurrying over to the both of them, Rose snug in her arms. "Mrs. Lovett needs help in the kitchen for a few minutes. Would you mind helping her while I watch Rose?"

"Okay," Jenny nodded eagerly, a gesture in which Jeb found very endearing. In a swift motion, Jenny embraced Jeb tightly, "I've got to help," Jenny giggled as she pulled away to look at him, "Aunt Laura's orders." She gave him an amused grin before making her way across the lawn and into the three story white house.

Jeb suddenly felt lonely. He could try and find Jason, or stick around with his other classmates and listen to their mindless chatter about new clothing styles, games other than baseball, and god forbid; the opposite gender. Jeb internally shuddered at the thought. It's not like he had a crush on anyone. Even if he did, one word to a companion of his and it'll be the talk of Walnut Grove. He could just picture it now: "_Twelve Year Old Jeb Carter Was Last Seen With His Beau Named..." _

No.

That would just not do.

Jeb was about to give in and find Jason when he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. He whipped around quickly to find Mr. Edwards staring down at him, with a rather teasing smirk on his face. Even though all the facial hair, Jeb could still identify it. Oh no.

"Why 'ello youngin' Mr. Carter!" Mr. Edwards greeted, mussing his hair.

"Oh, hi Mr. Edwards. Are you happy with how the election turned out?"

"By far!" Mr. Edwards looked pleased, "Mr. McCarrey definitely deserved it! Fine fella his is. But more importantly, how's it going?"

"It's going well," Jeb answered absentmindedly, staring at the porch Jenny had walked across moments ago.

"Yeah? Did you get to smoochin' yet?"

"Huh?!" Jeb flushed uncontrollably.

"The Wilder girl," Mr. Edwards spelled it out for him, "Or nah?"

"I-I..." Jeb was having a hard time speaking. Of course Mr. Edwards was referring to Jenny. Who else spent the most time with him other than Willie? Jason? His folks? There was simply no way out.

"N-No, we're just friends," Jeb felt like an entire weight was lifted off his shoulders once he said this. Mr. Edward's smirk lessened slightly as he searched his face for any traces of uncertainty. But Jeb stood his ground.

"Alright. But just be careful. I hear that Oleson girl has got quite an old smelly fancy crush on you."

Jeb chucked at Mr. Edward's interesting use of vocabulary. Honestly, the thought of him with his hands around Nancy's waist and dancing with her at the next social made him cringe. Mr. Edward's may have a point to be cautious.

Luckily, the topic of Jenny and Nancy changed as he and Mr. Edwards began talking about baseball and an upcoming fishing trip to Mankato with his Pa. Jeb was able to regain some of the natural colors on his face as Jenny approached them almost ten minutes later.

"Sorry I was gone so long, Mrs. Lovett needed alot more help than she thought!" Jenny smiled, "Oh Mr. Edwards! I hope you're enjoying yourself!"

"Well I most certainly am! Young Mr. Carter and I were just talking about how good of a friend you are."

"Oh, yeah," Jeb shrugged, he'd almost forgotten that conversation.

"Really?" Jenny beamed.

Jeb and Jenny smiled brightly at each other, not even registering the fact that Mr. Edwards had murmured something smart under his breath and walked away.

"Hey Carter! Jenny!" One of their classmates ran up to them, "We're all having a spinning competition!"

"A what?" Jenny cocked an eyebrow at the overly excited boy. Without pausing for breath, he said, "When the fiddles get louder, the faster we spin. Whoever spins the fastest and the longest, is the winner! So pick a partner."

Jeb and Jenny shared a look that they both knew too well. Competition was what thrilled them the most.

Together, they anxiously ran across the lawn were all the couples were dancing in unison. Willie Oleson walked up to one of the fiddlers and whispered something in his ear, to which he grinned.

Before they knew it, Jeb and Jenny were in full swing around the grassy landscape, trying their hardest to keep from doubling over with laughter. Time hung in limbo as Jeb effortlessly spun Jenny around in circles, her sweet laughter and amazed expression made Jeb's heart beat faster than normal. For once, he forgot what others thought as people began to crowd around and observe them. Spinning her around and holding her snugly in his arms was the single easiest action to sleeping. Suddenly, he was reminded of the young girl he dreamed about. The girl who looked at him with such admiration, protection, and curiosity. Several minutes later, the rhythm of the fiddles slowed into a soft melody and the couples returned to resume their dancing after observing them fondly.

Jeb peeked over Jenny's shoulder to see most of his classmates with their arms folded, looking on grimly.

Jenny took his hand and walked over to the large group of students, "Did we win?"

"Yeah yeah," several students responded at once as they tried to ignore the triumphant smirks on Jeb and Jenny's faces. Jeb caught her hand in a high five, only to have her lean into him slightly.

"My, I don't think I've been so dizzy before," Jenny chuckled.

"Let's sit down," Jeb took hold of Jenny's waist as he walked her to the porch steps a few feet away.

"Thank you," Jenny smiled. Elizabeth Stark suddenly ran up to them, her face full of both concern and happiness. "Wow you two! You practically had the whole town enthralled with your dancing. I'd say you're both naturals!" The blond girl took a seat next to her best friend as Jeb removed his arm from around Jenny's waist, not wanting to give the girl any suspicions.

"That was something," another voice said.

"Land sakes, Jason!" Jeb jumped at the sight of his brother who spontaneously appeared next to him, "You scared me!"

"And it won't be the last time either," Jason brought his cob corn to his mouth, eyeing his older brother with what looked like approval.

"Whatever," Jeb sighed, closely watching Jenny as she happily chattered on with Elizabeth.

"Do you like her?" Jason's tone suddenly changed, as did his humorous expression. Jeb hated the seriousness that now permeated between the two of them. Normally, Jason was the first person to find out all of Jeb's secrets. But then again, Jeb didn't have any. He'd already told his family about the swimming, which was no longer a concern, so he really didn't have anything to hide.

Jeb scratched his head, "No."

Jason looked at him in a way that had closely resembled that of Mr. Edward's expression when Jenny was the topic of discussion. Much to Jeb's surprise, Jason continued to much on his cob corn, and didn't ask any more questions.

Fearing for the worst, Jeb looked over at Jenny, who was too busy talking to Elizabeth to have heard anything of what he and his brother were talking about.

A moment later, he felt a soft hand atop his, "Jeb, Elizabeth and I are going to take a walk. If I don't see you again tonight then tell your Ma and Pa I said hi," Elizabeth swiftly grabbed a hold of Jenny's hand as the two of them began to descend the porch steps.

"Don't worry, I will." Jeb chuckled, earning another charming grin from Jenny.

When she was out of sight, Jeb glanced up at the darkening sky and thought about his upcoming birthday in a few short months. He was going to be thirteen. As it was, his Pa didn't consider him a young farm boy in training anymore, no. He was growing up, and he wasn't sure if he was more scared or excited. He didn't know what he wanted to do for the rest of his life, but he made a quick promise to himself that he would make his parents proud, Jason proud, her proud...

He didn't know where he was going, but he was on his way.

* * *

**A/N: THANK YOU MY PATIENT READERS! Finals are finally over &amp; I'm excited to be able to dedicate more time to this story . The reviews I received last chapter were very sweet &amp; I hope that y'all enjoyed this chapter!**

**Much love, **

**Allison x**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Hi everyone, thank you for waiting so patiently for my next update. As my readers, you must understand that writing well-thought out chapters are very important to me, therefore I always like to take my time with posting new ones. On top of that, I also work at a wedding venue &amp; I'm super busy this season. I'm honestly lucky to get a couple chapters out in a month. So I would just like to thank those who have stuck with my story and have continued to read it and review. It truly means everything!

_All rights go to Mrs. Laura Wilder &amp; the producers of the television series._

* * *

**"**You need to give yourself more credit.

Just remember what I said, there will come a time when you need to tell her how you feel -

and denying it won't help you.**"**

**October, 1887**

The Wilders retired back to their home after church service ended and after Jenny had successfully lied to her family to run off with Elizabeth and meet her best friend's beau; Randall. For Randall and Elizabeth, it was almost love at first sight. Jenny had covered up for Elizabeth a countless of times in order for her to spend time with him without her family knowing. It was true that Mr. Stark, Elizabeth's father, was not very fond of the boy, and Elizabeth, ever the non-confrontational girl she was, would do anything to avoid conflict in her family.

As much as she loved Elizabeth, Jenny knew that eventually the secret of her and Randall courting would have to be known. Jenny was afraid, that if Elizabeth didn't tell her folks soon enough, it would only be harder for them to accept. To be honest, Jenny was rather wary of Mr. Stark.

She held her cousin Rose snugly to her chest and sat by the fireplace as Laura prepared a pot of tea. Almanzo was in the stables tending to the animals and locking the doors. Last year, the Wilders nearly lost their animals due to large gusts of breaking open the doors to the barn. Luckily, Almanzo was able to purchase strong steel nails from John Carter (at a discount, of course) to make sure the doors wouldn't break open so easily. Jenny glanced out the window from her place by the fire. The sky was progressively becoming overcast, and Jenny knew that she didn't need a farmers' almanac to know that it was bound to start raining.

Laura began humming a sweet tune as Almanzo quietly walked into the house.

"Hiya girls," he beamed. Laura blushed as he went over to give her a tender kiss on her cheek. Jenny smiled at the gesture before shifting her gaze back to her now sleeping cousin.

"Did you have fun with Elizabeth after church today?" Almanzo quickly thanked his wife for his cup of tea before sitting down across from Jenny.

"I - Oh yes we did."

"You left rather quickly," Almanzo eyed her curiously.

"It was started to get cold outside, and Elizabeth needed to go home," Jenny gulped. She knew that if she told her aunt and uncle about Randall, they would probably say something to the Starks, and Jenny couldn't betray her friend's trust.

"Reason enough," Almanzo absentmindedly sipped his tea, "At least you're out spending time with girls and not boys, most of them are too young for me to punch."

"Manly!" Laura scolded, "Jenny may spend time with whoever she wants. And anyways, she's a smart girl. We can trust her," Laura winked at her niece, "But since we're on the topic of boys, she does spend quite alot of time with Jeb Carter, almost more than she does with Elizabeth."

Jenny felt herself turn pink.

"They're just friends," Almanzo insisted, shaking his head, "Isn't that right, Jenny?"

"Yes, sir."

"I know, I know!" Laura waved her hands in defense, "I'm only saying, I wasn't that old when I fell for you, Almanzo Wilder," her eyes twinkled as he gave her a seductive look. Jenny looked away in disgust.

"That's true Beth, but he's almost a teenager, and Jenny is still quite the youngin'!"

"Uncle Manzo, Aunt Laura," Jenny gulped, not sure how much more she could handle of her folks talking about her and her best friend in a romantic way, "I can assure you both, that Jeb is and only will be my best friend, Elizabeth included."

"Alright Jenny," Almanzo chuckled, "But seriously, if I hear anything about a boy pursuing you, I will gladly fetch my castrator."

"Manly!" Laura shouted, "Oh forget it! My Pa said much worse when he found me in your house with only a robe on, unmarried."

Jenny grimaced, she was about to excuse herself before there was a loud, urgent knock on the door.

"Could that be John?" Laura questioned, gathering Rose in her arms.

"Probably, his deliveries are always early," he kissed her cheek once more before opening the door.

"Isaiah?" Almanzo asked bewilderdly.

"Almanzo, Laura, Jenny," Mr. Edwards greeting, his voice shaking slightly.

"What's wrong?" Laura asked.

"Maybe it would be better if we all sat down," he said. Jenny didn't miss the concerned glance he directed towards her as Almanzo let him in. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

...

Jenny was able to escape her aunt and uncle's notice as she sauntered into her room and began scribbling on a piece of paper. She could barely breathe or control the endless tears that escaped her eyes as they fell onto the letter in front of her. Quietly, she pulled out a cylinder from her desk drawer and began to tie a knot around it with the last bit of string she had left. The carrier pigeon was happily perched in a cage on her desk. The pigeon was a gift from Jeb that he'd given her before her incident in the pond. It was a time in her life that she was most fragile, and Jeb was there for her despite her indifference towards him. Yes, she would be forever grateful.

She took the pigeon out of its cage and tied the cylinder to the bird's feet, "You know where to go," she whispered, bringing it to her window. As soon as she opened it, the pigeon took flight. She watched it anxiously until it was only a speck in the sky.

Jenny had to control herself until she started sobbing again. This type of pain was all too framilar to her. She could feel the walls around her closing her in, corrupting every molecule in her body until she collapsed.

Several minutes later, she heard a tap on her window and saw Jeb's pigeon with another cylinder tied to its feet.

With a heavy heart, she pulled the note out of the cylinder and read.

_J - _

_I heard about what happened to Elizabeth and her Ma. My folks aren't letting me out of the house either. They're probably in town already with yours, so I'm having Jason cover up for me. I'll be at the pond in five minutes. _

_\- J_

Jenny tucked the note inside the dress of her pocket. Laura and Almanzo had forbade her to leave the homestead while they went into town to gather information about the horrible incident that involved her best friend, but she didn't care. She was leaving the house, no matter how dangerous it was.

She swiftly left the house, not even bothering to grab her bonnet as she took off running. She knew it had definitely gotten colder outside as she felt the wind whip her cheeks and sting her eyes. Jenny had barely begun to register what had happened and why she was risking being seen by someone other than Jeb as she ran further away from the house.

It was essential that she saw Jeb. She didn't even have to ask to meet him, he needed her too.

The more Jenny ran, the more she could feel herself growing weaker with dread and sadness as she pondered Mr. Edward's awful news. Finally, she made it to the very top of the foothills that overlooked the pond. Jeb was already running halfway to meet her. Jenny took a moment to catch her breath before Jeb caught her in his arms. Without hesitation, Jenny immediately broke down and cried messily into Jeb's shoulder, embracing him tightly.

At the edge of the foothill, the two of them sat huddled together. Her grief stricken cries eventually turned into soft whimpers as Jeb exhaled slowly while brushing his fingers through her un-braided hair.

"He shot them. Mr. Stark shot Elizabeth and her Ma." Jenny said after several moments.

Jeb looked lost for words as Jenny turned her head to look at him, "Why? How could he?"

"I don't know," Jeb said lowly, a lump rising in his throat.

"I can't lose her Jeb," Jenny chocked back another sob. "I just can't. Not after Ma and Pa," she started to cry into his shoulder again.

"I heard Randall heard the shots, he found them and ran to get Doctor Baker. He'll tend to them, Jenny. They will be strong again. We can't lose faith. Not yet," he told her soothingly. She trembled against him, trying to make sense of his words. Doctor Baker was indeed a talented man, but he wasn't stronger than God.

Jenny was lost in thought as Jeb brushed her hair away from her wet cheeks. He softly tilted her chin, "Do you want to see her?"

"Can we?"

Jeb shrugged, "Randall is there, and I'm sure Doctor Baker would let you. You're her best friend."

"We would get into so much trouble if we were seen by our folks, Jeb. I wouldn't want to break their trust and nor would you."

"But Jenny, this is your friend. Shouldn't you have every right to see her as much as Randall? He's probably never even talked to her before! Listen, if we do get caught, I will put the blame on myself."

Jenny's head shot up, "No Jeb! That wouldn't be fair! What would you even say? That you forced me out of my home to go into town?"

"Yes!" He tried to reach for her hand but she immediately pulled away, "I don't know, Jeb. What if Mr. Stark really is somewhere near to us? If you got hurt as well, I would never forgive myself. Don't you understand?"

"I do understand," Jeb argued. "I know you better than you think, Jenny Wilder. I know that you're not going to rest properly again until you see Elizabeth and her Ma who are both being well taken care of as we speak. Just trust me, I know what I'm doing."

"Jeb..." she let her voice trail off. Despite her poor mental state, she couldn't help but marvel over the passion and confidence in his words. Jenny knew him well enough to see that he was almost as damaged as she was in the inside. She realized, that even though he was scared and unsure himself, he hated seeing her the way she was now and he was committed to make her feel better. Jenny sighed, what would she do without him?

"Don't you trust me?" He asked, almost above a whisper.

She gulped, "Of course I do."

"Then trust me when I say that I won't let anyone hurt you. I'll protect you."

"Jeb, you're only thirteen years old!"

He smirked at her before pushing the sleeves of his shirt up and flexing his muscles. He watched her shocked expression in amusement, "Jeb Carter, that is highly inappropriate! I think you forget who I am sometimes - " Jeb interrupted her rant as he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. For a split second, Jenny forgot about Elizabeth and her Ma as she mercicly kicked Jeb in the stomach.

He brought her past her limit, whatever she said to him now she wouldn't regret, "If you don't put me down, I'll make sure that Uncle Manzo won't forget his castrator the next time he sees you."

Jenny found herself back on the ground in no time.

...

The town of Walnut Grove was eerily silent as the two quickly scampered across the bridge, keeping a close eye on their surroundings. Jenny bit her bottom lip as they made their way closer to Doctor Baker's office. The first person they noticed was Randall, who looked just as bad as Jenny did, maybe even worse.

"Hi Randall," Jenny greeted him. He looked startled as his head shot up. He eyed them cautiously, "Jenny, and Carter? What are you two doing here?"

Jeb frowned, "Jenny needs to see Elizabeth. I'm surprised you're still here, actually. I didn't know you were close with them."

Randall looked offended, "Elizabeth...I love her."

Jenny gaped at him, "You love Elizabeth?"

"That's what I said, didn't - " Randall caught Jeb's stern look, "Alright, I'm sorry. I've been on edge all afternoon. Jenny, you know how important she is to me. I couldn't leave. I'm going to stay here as long as I can."

Jenny exhaled shakily, "But is she - "

"She'll be alright," Randall said quickly, "And so will her Ma."

Jenny looked slightly relieved as she turned to look at Jeb for the first time since they got there, "I think I'm ready to see her." Jeb nodded at her encouragingly and led her to the door. His hand was grasped around hers until she was inside and it was no longer possible.

He turned back to find Randall watching him with an amused grin, "And I thought I was the only one that was smitten."

"Huh?" Jeb narrowed his eyes.

"Yes Randall, not huh," the older boy smirked as he imitated Ms. Plum whenever she caught him talking to Jenny.

"Shut up. I'm not in the mood."

"You think I am?" Randall asked incredulously. For a fifteen year old he was very tall and strong, but Jeb didn't let that intimidate him, "I don't know Randall, you seem pretty happy all of a sudden."

Randall ignored him, "Are you going to ask her to be your beau?"

"Land sakes!" Jeb felt like he was talking to another Mr. Edwards, "Jenny and I are friends. Yes, I care for her. More than anyone will ever know, but she is definitely not my beau."

"Suit yourself," Randall took a seat on the porch steps and rested his hands on his forehead. Jeb watched him for a moment before rolling his eyes and resting his back against a horse post. He debated going to the Mercantile to see if he could talk to Willie but decided against it. It was risky enough going through town when his parents forbade him to. He just had to keep reminding himself that it was all for Jenny, that way he wouldn't feel so guilty.

"Carter?"

Jeb turned to look at Randall, who was eyeing him curiously, "How did you feel when you rescued Jenny from the pond?"

"How did you know that?" Jeb blurted out, his hands began to ball into fists.

Randall chuckled, "Relax Carter, I know your little secret about not being able to swim. You forget, I love Elizabeth and her best friend just so happens to be Jenny herself. You could say I have a way of knowing things."

"Look, first of all, I do know how to swim. Second, I'm not talking about what happened with Jenny. She's changed and if you want to hear more then you'll have to ask her yourself."

"Oh but Carter, you're missing my point. I'm not talking about Jenny. I'm talking about you."

Jeb bit his bottom lip as he looked off into the distance, trying to ignore Randall's smoldering gaze. He shifted uncomfortably as he thought of the right words to describe how he felt. The last time he recalled talking about the incident was with Jenny when she decided to come back to school that following Monday. He and Jenny decided it would be best if they just forgot about what happened. The two of them had progressively become closer to each other throughout the rest of spring, summer, and the beginning of fall. She understood that he saved her because she was his good friend, but was there more to it?

He never really talked about his feelings towards the incident with anyone else, let alone another guy who he barely knew. He never even brought it up with Jason.

"I know more than you think, Carter," Randall said, breaking the trance. "Only hours ago, I felt like I was in your place. After I helped gather Elizabeth and her Ma into Doc's office, I spent a mere few minutes just holding Elizabeth. I feared the time when I had to let her go because I didn't know if that would be the last time we touched."

Randall smirked as Jeb shifted uncomfortably, "Did you feel that way, Carter? Did you feel a close connection with Jenny after you pulled her from the pond? Did you feel deep down that you gained a new desire to protect her? To be her best friend? To hold her? To kiss - "

"Randall. Shut. Up. What if someone hears you?!" Jeb gritted his teeth.

"You're not a little boy anymore."

"I know I'm not!"

"Then what's the problem? You can't tell her how you feel? Because the way I see it, life is short. You never know when something unexpected will happen," Randall said, his demeanor slowly changing back to hopelessness.

"Look Randall, I understand where you're coming from. But I'm just not ready yet, I need to find myself. I need," he sighed, "I need to love myself."

Randall looked at him in an almost disbelieving way, "What do you mean 'love yourself?' Carter, you're like the most confident, friendly, albeit self-absorbed guy I know! Don't take this the wrong way," he said quickly, "But you're not really that bad looking either."

Jeb furrowed his brow. They were not having this conversation.

"Alright, Carter," Randall threw his hands up, "I may not be a psychic, but let me tell you this. If you really want to put your feelings for Jenny to the test, another lad will come around sooner or later and it'll be up to you whether or not you want to step in or not before she's gone."

"Land sakes you idiot! She's only ten!"

"And a pretty one if I may add. Just because the love of my life is only feet away from me, doesn't mean I don't think other girls are a catch. Willie Oleson thinks Jenny is pretty."

Jeb felt his face get hot as he turned away from the older boy, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing him uneasy. It was one thing to talk about other pretty girls in their class, but Jenny was his friend, his _closest_ friend. Just hearing others boys talk about her in an overly friendly way was enough to make him use a baseball bat against them.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Carter." Randall put a hand on Jeb's shoulder, "You need to give yourself more credit. Just remember what I said, there will come a time when you need to tell her how you feel - and denying it won't help you."

Jeb sighed as he looked upwards at the sky. Slowly, rain drops were starting to fall. The two continued to stand by Doctor Baker's door as they absentmindedly watched the ground become covered in droplets of rain.

"I'm afraid."

Randall looked at him curiously, "Of?"

"What if she doesn't like me in that way? What if I can't make her happy?"

The older boy almost doubled over, "Are you insane? Do you not see how you great you make her feel? It shows! She smiles more around you than anyone else? And who does she go to when she's sad and needs to be cheered up?"

He shrugged.

"You! Damn it!" Jeb gasped at Randall's language, "Don't act so surprised little one, you learn new words everyday. You should say it more often, it's a good stress reliever. Just not around girls."

Jeb fought the urge to roll his eyes as Randall returned to leaning against the post, watching the sky as the rain fell harder.

"Just remember what I said," Randall shut his eyes as he began to breathe slowly, looking relaxed for the first time since Jeb saw him.

He realized that he would have to make changes in his life; attitude, looks, or whatever it took. He would make Jenny see that he was grown up, that no other boy could take his place as her best friend. Maybe he did fancy her a little, he didn't quite know. What he felt for Jenny was something that he never felt for anyone else. He didn't know what it was, but it was something good.

Something he needed.

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you for reading :D


End file.
